“FIERY CROSS”

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25271, 25 August 1947, Page 8

“FIERY CROSS”

RECEPTION BY SCOTTISH SOCIETY The “Fiery Cross,” the Scottish chieftains’ traditional method of summoning their clans, arrived at Christchurch on Saturday and was received by the president of the Christchurch Scottish Society (Chief W. T. Lindsay) at a ceremony at the Wentworth. The Cross, composed of charred birch sticks bound with leather, was brought from_ Wellington by Mr J. Mathison. M.P.," and was handed to Chief Lindsay by Mr W. H. Mathison, secretary of the Christchurch Scottish Society. At the end of the ceremony the Cross was handed to Mr G. Gowans, secretary of the Ashburton Scottish Society, with the injunction that, if necessary, he defend it with his life, and hand it on to the Timaru Scottish Society. The Mayor of Christchurch, .Mr E. H. Andrews, said that the Cross had not been used since 1745 when loyal Scots were summoned under the banner of Bonny Prince Charlie* for war. Now it had been carried across the world in the cause of peace. The aim of the Cross was to advertise Scottish enterprise at the Industrial Exhibition commencing on August 25 in Edinburgh. The Cross would arrive in Dunedin—the Edinburgh of the South, on the Monday, the day of the opening of the exhibition in ‘Scotland.

“The Fiery Cross symbolises a call to arms and endeavour of each and every one of us,” said Mr J. Mathison. In her time of need and emergency it was necessary that Great Britain should be helped to the utmost. The vice-president of the Christchurch Caledonian Society, Mr G. Sey. said the Cross had been used for purposes both good and bad. This time it was being used for a good purpose, for the regeneration of Scottish in-, dustry. “Scotland has never failed to rally to the cause of the Empire,” said Mr L. W. Stewart, acting-rector of St. Andrew’s College. Scotland’s contribution to the Empire, both temporal and spiritual, was written large in the pages of history. Mr Lindsay said the first Fiery Cross had been made in 83 A.D. and had been used for the object of patriotism. He felt certain that the call of Scottish and British industry would be supported to the utmost. The Cross would remain in Dunedin for their Centennial Celebrations next year.